Fish lure



Jan. 13, 1953 N au 2,624,971

FISH LURE Filed 001,. 19, 1950 lllllll INVENTOR M errittltA/orlon. 4 55 BY ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 13, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Claims.

fish into close proximity with a baited hook. It

is also desirable, in many instances to maintain the baited hook, or hooks, at a certain depth in the water. Considerable dexterity is required in using the average float to take up the slack in the line so as to create a quick pull on the line leading from the float to the baited hook and catch the fish which has attacked the bait. It has been found to be of advantage to provide a fish lure container, a float, and means to create an abrupt pull on the baited hook, or hooks, when a fish attacks the bait on the hook, or otherwise becomes attached to a hook.

One object of this invention is to provide a fish lure having combined in its structure the elements of a lure material container, a float and means to create an abrupt pull on the baited hook to insure the catching of fish.

Other objects are to provide in such a fish lure, an openable hollow float wherein fish lure material may be placed and which may exude therefrom, and a settable trigger mechanism adapted to have a hook, or hooks, attached to and depending therefrom, whereby the hook will be given an abrupt pull when a fish attacks the hook, or bait thereon.

Still another object is to provide a fish lure of the above nature and structure which may be readily disassembled and reassembled for filling, cleaning and/or replacement of parts.

A further object is to provide a fish lure which will be relatively inexpensive to manufacture, simple in construction and operation, of pleasing appearance, and which is very efficient and durable in use.

With these and other objects in view, which will appear as the description proceeds, there has been illustrated in the accompanying drawings one form of fish lure in which the features and principles of this invention may be conveniently and practically embodied.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is an elevational view of a fish lure embodying the features and principles of this invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of the fish lure shown in Figure 1 with the settable fish hook pulling mechanism in set position;

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 but in which the fish hook pulling mechanism has been released;

Figure 4 is a bottom plan view of the fish lure of this invention; and

Figure 5 is a lengthwise section through a part of the fish lure to show its specific construction.

Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference numerals designate like parts throughout the several views, the reference numeral H denotes the casing of a float, of buoyant material, generally cylindrical in shape, and having a cylindrical opening l2 in its upper portion open at its top and substantially closed at its bottom by a wall i3. A series of elongated holes [4 are provided in the peripheral wall l5. A cover 16 is provided for the open upper end of the casing H, which cover has a peripheral flange I! extending over and downwardly along the side wall H5. The cover [6 is detachably secured to the casing H by pins 18 extending outwardly from the wall I4 which enter bayonet slots I9 in the flange I1, and are engaged, against turning upon the casing H, in cross-grooves 2|.

The Wall l3 has a central opening 22 therein through which a sleeve 23 extends both above and below the bottom wall I3. The portion of the sleeve 23 above the bottom wall l3 has solid walls while the portion thereof below the wall I3 is slotted lengthwise thereof, four slots 24 being provided equally spaced peripherally about the sleeve. The slotted lower end of the sleeve 23 extends downwardly in the casing H through an opening 25 which is an extension of the opening 22 and terminates at 26 spaced upwardly from the bottom of the casing II. The upper end of the sleeve 23 terminates short of the cover 16 being spaced downwardly therefrom. The sleeve 23 is cemented, or otherwise secured to the casing II at the bottom wall [3.

A tube 21 extends downwardly through the sleeve 23 being supported from the upper end of said sleeve 23 by a flange 28 extending outwardly and peripherally about the upper end of the tube 21. A downwardly extending peripheral flange 29 is provided about the outer edge of the flange 28 and laps over the upper end of the sleeve 23. A disc 3|, having a central tubular stem 32 extending downwardly therefrom, is seated upon the flange 28 of the tube 21. The tube 21 and disc 3| arefirmly held downwardly upon the upper end of the sleeve 23 by an inverted cupshaped split disc spring 33, which is attached to the cover I6. The spring 33 reacts between the disc 3| and the cover IE to also maintain the pins IS in the grooves 2| to lock the cover IS in place.

The tube 21 extends downwardly through the sleeve 23 and has an outwardly extending peripheral flange 34 at its lower end which is rigidly secured to the sleeve 23. The tube 21 is provided with lengthwise slots 35, four being shown. The slots 35 extend upwardly from adjacent the flanged bottom end of the tube 2'! to and through the upper end of said tube 21. A plunger 36 is slidably disposed in the tube 21' and has rods 3?, four in this instance, secured thereto and extending outwardly therefrom through the slots 35 in the tube 21 and then downwardly and are extended inwardly into, and secured to, a short sleeve 38. The short sleeve 38 is also slidable in the tube 21. The lower end of the tube 2'! below the Wall I3 is provided with slots 39 which transversely align with the slots 24 in the sleeve 23. Pins 4|) extending through the casing and the sleeve 23 and into the tube 2? hold these parts together and to the casing I in slot aligning po sition. By means of the rods 31, the plunger 36 and the short sleeve 38 are attached together and will move in unison in the tube 2?. A length of wire 4| is secured to the plunger 36 and extends upwardly therefrom through the hollow stem 32 of the disc 3|, and through the cover IS. The wire 4| has a loop 42 at its upper end to which the usual fish line 43 may be secured. Thus the wire 4| will move in unison with the plunger and short sleeve 38. A coiled tension spring spot welded at one end to the disc 6! and spot welded at the other end to the plunger 36, constantly urges the plunger 36 upwardly toward the disc 3| and thus urges the wire 4| and the short sleeve 38 upwardly.

The lower end 45 of the casing H has cross slots 46, two being shown, which extend entirely across the casing l: in under the wall l6. The slots 46 are in transverse alignment with the slots 24 and 39 in the sleeve 23 and in the tube 2i re spectively. A trigger 4'1 is pivotally mounted in the casing to swing in each slot 46, by pins 45. Each trigger 41 has a catch shoulder 45 provided thereon and adapted to engage the upper end d of the short sleeve 38 to hold the same with the plunger 36 and the wire 4| in downwardly disposed position, as shown in Figure 2. Compression springs 5| mounted in bushings 52, extending inwardly from the casing sides in alignment with the slots 46, react between the triggers 47 and set screws 53, screwed one into each bushing to constantly urge the triggers 47 inwardly to position the catch shoulders 5:9 in short sleeve engaging position. Tension of the springs 5| may be varied by manipulation of the set screws 53.

The upper inner end edges of the triggers 4'! are upwardly and outwardly inclined to receive a trigger operating member 55. The member 54 is inverted cone-shaped and has a wire 55 secured to and extending downwardly therefrom through the short sleeve 36 and through a cup-shaped ferrule 56, secured in the bottom end of the casing I The ferrule 56 has a slot 51 therein to pass a loop 58 formed on the lower end of the wire 55. The loop 53 is provided to receive a short length of fish line 59 to the end of which a hook, or

hooks, 6| is fastened. The trigger operating member 54 is attached to the plunger 35, and the wire 4|, by a short length of flexible cable 52,

so that its upper end 50 may be engaged by the catch shoulders 49. Each trigger 41 is provided with a stop finger 64, adapted to engage the adjacent bushing 52 to limit the inward swing of the trigger.

After filling the casing with fish lure material, a line 43 is secured to the loop 42 and then the line 59 and hook 6| is secured to the loop 58, see Figure 3, the hook 6| is baited and the wire 4| is pressed downwardly to move the plunger 36 and, through the rods 31, to force the short sleeve 38 downwardly into the position shown in Figure 2. In this position the device is set, the spring 44 being placed under tension, the short sleeve 38 being engaged by the catch shoulders 49, and the member 54 is loosely seated upon the upper inclined edges of the triggers. A fish attacking the baited hook 6| will pull upon the wire 55 causing the member 54 to move downwardly and force the triggers 41 outwardly to release the short sleeve 38, whereupon the spring 44 will abruptly pull upwardly upon the plunger 36 and cause the member 54 and wire 55, with the hook 6|, to be abruptly snapped upwardly to impale the fish upon the hook 6|. As soon as the device is tripped, as above described, the user will visually note that the same has happened by observing that the wire 4|, which may be colored on its upper end, and the loop 42 extend considerably above the casing cover, to signal such a condition. While it is preferred that the float casing H be made of buoyant material, it is obyious that it could be constructed, for instance with sealed pockets, to make it buoyant, should be made of non-buoyant material, such as plastic. For the purpose of this invention a buoyant casing of any form is sufficient.

The fish lure described above is readily disassembled for cleaning, repair, and replacement of parts. By removing the cover IS, the disc 3|, spring 44, plunger 36, rods 3?, short sleeve 38, wires 4| and 55, and member 54, may be removed vertically from the tube 21 and the casing ii. Removal of springs 5|, by unscrewing the set screws 53, will release the triggers 41, and by driving out the pins 48, the triggers may be removed.

While there has been shown and described herein one form of fish lure in which the features and principles of this invention may be coneniently and practically embodied, it is to be understood that they may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit and essential attributes thereof, and it is therefore desired that the present embodiment be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, reference being had to the claims rather than to the foregoing to indicate the scope of the invention.

Having thus fully described the invention, what is claimed as new and useful, and for which it is desired to obtain Letters Patent, is:

1. In a fish lure, floatable casing having an internal space in its upper portion to hold lure material and peripherally spaced apart openings leading through said casing side into said space. through which the lure material therein may exude into surrounding water, a member extending upwardly through said casing approximately centrally of said internal space, to the upper end of which a fish line may be attached, said member being slidable longitudinally of said casing, a short sleeve rigidly connected to said member and having a catch surface, catches pivoted to said lower end of said casing and adapted to engage said catch surface, spring means to constantly urge said member upwardly, and fish hook connecting means connected to said member and depending from said casing, said means comprising an element engageable with said catches to disengage the catches from the catch surface of said sleeve when a fish pulls upon said fish hook connectin means.

2. A fish lure comprising, a buoyant casing having an internal space in its upper portion to hold fish lure material and openings in its side through which lure material may exude into surrounding water, a plunger slidable lengthwise in said casing approximately centrally of said internal space, and having a part secured thereto and extending out the upper end of said casing, to be attached to a fish line, a spring urging said plunger in an upward direction, a short sleeve spaced downwardly from said plunger and being rigidly connected ing to engage said catches to swingthem to disengage the catch shoulders from said sleeve, and fishhook-connecting means connected to said element and depending therefrom through the lower portion of said casing.

3. A fish lure in accordance with claim 2 and wherein springs to constantly urge said catches toward said sleeve are provided.

4. A fish lure in accordance with claim 3 and wherein said element is connected with said plunger by a short length of flexible cable to be abruptly pulled upwardly when said catches are swung to release said sleeve.

5. A fish lure in accordance with claim 2 and wherein springs to constantly urge said catches toward said sleeve are provided, and wherein said element is connected with said plunger by a short length of flexible cable to be abruptly pulled upwardly when said catches are swung to release said sleeve.

MERRITT R. NORTON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,614,931 Pennell Jan. 18, 1927 2,465,127 Stark Mar. 22, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 21,499 Great Britain Oct. 6, 1903 

